CASE STUDY: HVDC
Champa ±800 kV UHVDC
Delivering efficient energy highways in India
In 2012, Alstom was
awarded one of its most
important HVDC turnkey
projects to date - for the
transfer of 3,000 MW from
Champa in central India, to
Kurukshetra in northern
India, using 800 kV
UHVDC technology.
THE SOLUTION
GRID/CASE//EN/3.2014/FRA/2019 © ALSTOM 2014. All rights reserved.
THE CHALLENGE
Power Grid Corporation of India, Ltd
(POWERGRID) is India’s central
transmission utility. A world leader in
power transmission, POWERGRID is
the technology leader in extra high
voltage alternating current (EHVAC)
and high voltage direct current
(HVDC) transmission. They are also
pioneering ultra high voltage
alternating current at 1200 kV
in the country.
POWERGRID carries approximately
50% of all generated power across
India, with 95,329 km of transmission
lines and 156 EHVAC and HVDC
substations (July 2012).
Indian power generation capacity has
grown 50% in the last five years.
Meanwhile, the country's transmission
capacity has only grown 30%, with
significant new bulk power transfer
requirements for growing regions in
the north, south and east of the
country.
POWERGRID’s latest project is the
most challenging yet. Through to
2017, many independent power
projects will be launched in the central
Indian region of Chhattisgarh, with
long-term power transfer requirements
reaching 15,000 to 16,000 MW. Of
this, around 5,000 MW of power is
targeted for the northern region.
In a challenging time, Alstom aims to
deliver a ±800 kV 3,000 MW bipole to
connect Champa with Kurukshetra in
the north, via a 1365 km “energy
highway” of clean, efficient power. This
large scale transmission line will meet
the needs for more power in the north
– transmitted through the Kurukshetra
load centre by increasing the bulk
power transfer requirements in
Chhattisgarh, known for its hub of
independent thermal power producers.
Alstom will design and deliver two
complete UHVDC converter stations at
Champa and Kurukshetra, which
include thyristor valve modules and
converter transformers (32 units), as
well as 400/220 kV gas-insulated and
air-insulated switchgear for the
Kurukshetra end of the installation.
Grid-PEA-L5-CHAMPA_800_kV_HVDC-2975-2014_02-EN. Information contained in this document is indicative only. No representation or warranty is given
or should be relied on that it is complete or correct or will apply to any particular project. This will depend on the technical and commercial circumstances. It is
provided without liability and is subject to change without notice. Reproduction, use or disclosure to third parties, without express written authority, is strictly
prohibited. Alstom contributes to the protection of the environment. This leaflet is printed on environmentally friendly paper.
CASE STUDY: HVDC
CHAMPA 800 kV UHVDC
THE SOLUTION - Continued
The scope of supply also includes
substation automation digital control
systems, telecommunications
equipment and a SCADA system.
The aim is to improve the quality and
increase the capacity of the Indian
transmission grid using DC technology,
which is inherently more efficient with
fewer losses. Meeting these
requirements will be complex, given the
highly customised nature of HVDC
projects in general and the challenging
time constraints.
Over the last 15 years, Alstom and
POWERGRID have worked together on
three significant HVDC projects:
Chandrapur (1000 MW
interconnection between western and
southern networks), Visakhapatnam
(500 MW interconnection between
eastern and southern networks) and
Sasaram (500 MW interconnection
between eastern and northern
networks).
HISTORY
Alstom has played a key role in rebuilding and improving existing AC
networks, supporting India’s mission to
move to ever higher voltages. Since
delivering the country’s first 765 kV
extra high voltage (EHV) substation to
the SIPAT power plant in 2007, Alstom
has been selected for more than half of
the 40 planned EHV substations all
over the country.
However, with such large power
transmission requirements, AC is in
many cases no longer the most efficient
or practical option. India has thus taken
significant steps in pioneering HVDC
technology to transport bulk power
over long distances.
POWERGRID is one of the most
knowledgeable utilities in the world
with regards to HVDC transmission
systems and Supergrids.
“We are delighted to work
together with POWERGRID on
this new large scale HVDC
installation, having already
commissioned three back-to-back
HVDC projects in the past,”
said Patrick Plas, Senior Vice
President, Alstom Grid.
“The Supergrid HVDC market is
enjoying one of the highest
growth rates in the energy
transmission sector. The award
of the Champa-Kurukshetra
800 kV HVDC project confirms
Alstom as a major player in the
Supergrid market.”
GRID/CASE//EN/3.2014/FRA/2019 © ALSTOM 2014. All rights reserved.
ALSTOM's SCOPE OF SUPPLY
THE TECHNOLOGY
Power electronics solutions – notably
HVDC – are key elements to enabling
utilities around the world to take
control of their networks and improve
their transmission systems. Strong,
reliable networks rely on power
electronics. Line commutated converter
(LCC) technology is the backbone of
meshed AC-DC grids, or “Supergrids”
and can be used for:
• Back-to-back interconnections up to
500 kV
• Point-to-point long distance transmission (energy highways) up to
800 kV
Regardless of the source (hydro,
thermal or nuclear), UHVDC provides
efficient and cost-effective transmission
of very high levels of remotely generated power over very long distances to
the load centres. Moreover, 800 kV
UHVDC requires four times less “rightof-way” land when compared to
UHVAC transmission, the typical
transmission system in India, reducing
both the ecological and visual impacts.
HVDC solutions are more economical
than HVAC for schemes with transmission distances longer than 700 km.
The technology is asynchronous,
meaning that it can adapt to any rated
voltage or frequency and can be used to
assist the AC network at each end of
the link.
Full turnkey with civil works including:
Thyristor valve modules, control and protection systems
800 kV DC switchgear (switches, isolators, surge arrestors, instrument
transformers)
32 converter transformers
For more information
please contact Alstom Grid:
Alstom Grid Worldwide Contact Centre
www.alstom.com/grid/contactcentre/
400/220 kV gas-insulated and air-insulated switchgear for the Kurukshetra
converter station
Phone: +44 (0) 1785 250 070
Substation automation digital control systems
Telecommunications equipment, SCADA
Grid-PEA-L5-CHAMPA_800_kV_HVDC-2975-2014_02-EN. Information contained in this document is indicative only. No representation or warranty is given
or should be relied on that it is complete or correct or will apply to any particular project. This will depend on the technical and commercial circumstances. It is
provided without liability and is subject to change without notice. Reproduction, use or disclosure to third parties, without express written authority, is strictly
prohibited. Alstom contributes to the protection of the environment. This leaflet is printed on environmentally friendly paper.
Visit us online: www.alstom.com